For Eternity I'm Shattered
by Halfway-Thru-Insanity
Summary: This was supposed to be normal for a family of huntsmen. They trained for years, graduated Beacon Academy and were Ozpin's pride and joy. Not to mention, Summer was the team's leader, she knew what she was doing and if anyone could have handled it, it would have been her. But all the reassurance he could offer to himself still didn't make Tai less anxious. More chapters to follow.
1. Chapter 1

Summer Rose.

She had been assigned a top-tier search and destroy mission by Ozpin. What remained of team STRQ was his go-to when he needed a "delicate" situation handled. He would have given the assignment to Qrow if he wasn't already on a mission of his own, and Raven had been out of communication since she left Tai and Yang more than four years ago. Tai and Summer were busy raising Yang and Ruby in their quiet home in Patch, so that meant one of them had to stay with the kids while the other took Ozpin's mission. It was the only option left, Summer had insisted. After arguing though the whole night (while at the same time trying not to wake the girls), Tai conceded and let Summer go.

She had packed light the next morning, said her good-byes to her family, and left. The last that any of them saw of Summer was her stark white cloak flutter around her and her hood pulled over her beaming face as she waved to them.

This was supposed to be normal for a family of huntsmen. They trained for years, graduated Beacon Academy and were Ozpin's pride and joy, Tai had kept reminding himself. Not to mention, Summer was the team's leader, she knew what she was doing and if anyone could have handled it, it would have been her. But all the reassurance he could offer to himself still didn't make Tai less anxious. Maybe it was the fact that he had two daughters to look after that made this situation different, he had thought. Or perhaps he just didn't want to lose another wife. Raven leaving him and Yang had understandably made him more cautious with Summer, constantly making sure she was happy and that she wanted for nothing. Summer would just laugh every time he worried about her.

Her laugh.

It was the most mesmerizing sound Tai had ever heard. It was what made him find her in the forest their first day at Beacon. He'd been wandering for half an hour, beginning to wonder if he would ever find a partner while face-palming at how embarrassing it would be to return to his classmates alone, meanwhile everyone else was paired up. That is, until he heard the most melodious laughter coming from a nearby clearing. As he approached, he saw Summer sitting on the grass, her white cloak sprawled around her like a fan and her hood framed her red-tipped shoulder length hair. She had a rather large toad sitting on her knee as she carefully placed a small wild flower on its head (needless to say, the toad was thoroughly displeased with its new adornment). Her silver eyes seemed to reflect a light that wasn't even shining on her and her smile could have made the coldest day seem warm. As soon as Tai came into view, she jumped from the surprise, which made the toad bound from her knee and spring away into the brush, leaving its new hat behind. Of course, this had only made her laugh harder and Tai joined in, relieved to have found his partner for the next four years.

Tai felt a small warm hand tug at his fingers, "Daddy?" He blinked away the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes and looked down at his youngest daughter. "When is Mommy coming back?"

Tai didn't know the answer to that question himself. Regardless, he hoisted her up, rested her on his hip and smiled, "She'll be back before you know it, rosebud." That answer seemed good enough for Ruby and she gave him a smile. What he didn't see was Yang as she narrowed her lavender eyes, not buying that answer as easily as her sister had. But she kept quiet for now, making a mental note to grill her dad about it later when Ruby wasn't around.

* * *

Qrow stumbled into the Xiao Long residence, unceremoniously tossing his weapon on the coffee table in the living room. He expected Tai to be sitting on the couch with a mug of tea, watching the news and grumbling at the occasional report of recent bandit activity.

But he wasn't there.

Qrow took note of the unusually unkempt state of the house. There were toys and colored pencils strewn across one corner of the room and shoes in the walk ways that seemed to have been kicked off and immediately forgotten. The usually bright house had most of its lights off and there was the unmistakable burnt smell of Tai's cooking. He looked to his right, noticing the kitchen light was on, so he made his way over while preparing himself for at least one cooking pot to be on fire. But what he found was his nieces and his brother-in-law eating quietly at the kitchen table. Qrow smirked to himself as he noticed minor scorch marks on the wall where the stove was.

"Qrow!" Tai said with surprise when he looked up from his plate. "We weren't expecting you to come back for another day." Tai's face twisted into a taunting expression, one eyebrow raised mischievously, "Did your favorite bar close again?"

Qrow rolled his eyes, shrugged and took a seat facing Tai at the other end of the table, saying nothing as he knew answering would only encourage Tai to tease him further. Instead, he changed the subject, "What's the deal with the mess in the other room? It's not like Summer to leave the house looking like that."

The girls' heads turned sharply to face Qrow at the mention of their Mom's name. Meanwhile, Tai put his fork down and sighed.

"Summer took a mission from Oz," Tai said, his tone darkening only slightly. Qrow frowned and leaned on the table, prompting Tai to continue. "There was a lead on one of… _Her_ followers," Tai lowered his voice as if his daughters couldn't hear him. "There has been some sort of activity in a small town south west of Vale. She was sent to 'sort things out', as Oz put it."

"Any idea when she'll be back?" Qrow asked as he leaned back in his chair, pulling his flask from his pocket.

"She sent an update a couple days ago," Tai continued, "and she said it shouldn't take her more than a week. She sounded rather confident, so that relieves _some_ stress, I guess."

Ruby piped up with her usual cheery tone, "Then we make cookies when she comes home next week!" She danced in her seat and Yang punched the air in excitement with an enthusiastic "Yeah!", her fork still clenched in her fist.

Qrow smiled at them, and then threw a cautious sideways glance at Tai, who gave a worried shrug in reply. Both of them knew that missions like these don't always go as planned, so it would be best to not get the girls too excited.

* * *

For days, Tai had been trying to push away the panic slowly bubbling up inside him. Summer was supposed to have reported in three days ago and should have come home two days after that. Ruby had waited for an entire day on the front porch with a plate of cookies that she had helped to make, trying her best to not bounce in place out of excitement lest she drop some. When the afternoon began to sink into twilight, Tai finally shepherded his crestfallen daughter back into the house for dinner. The next day, Ruby set up a chair in front of the window that faced the road into the woods; where Summer should be arriving from.

Any minute now.

It was that night when Ozpin called. The girls had been put to bed an hour ago, and the two men were quietly emptying a bottle of some bottom-shelf liquor Qrow had stashed away the last time he came back from a mission. The air was thick with dread and unspoken worries. Qrow was afraid that if he said anything, Tai would break down completely. Tai on the other hand was in his head, busy fighting off the doubts and what-if's that leaped at him from every angle.

The ringtone from Qrow's scroll shattered the scene and the two stared warily at the screen for a few seconds before Qrow answered the call on speaker.

"Oz, this had better be-" Qrow began before Tai cut him off.

"Where is Summer?" he demanded in an ominous tone that even put fear into Qrow.

There was silence before Ozpin answered, "I don't know." There was defeat in his voice, which told them he had been just as worried.

"You don't know." Tai repeated, daring Ozpin to continue.

"I have reason to believe she is still near the town I sent her to-" With this, Qrow stood abruptly as if to leave, "-but I cannot be certain." There was a heavy sigh from the other end of the line, then, "There are very few reasons as to why she would not report in or send some sort of sign."

"Send me the coordinates, I'll go find her," Qrow offered. Despite having had nearly half a bottle of liquor, his words were clear and his body's posture didn't give any hints about its inebriated state. Clearly, he was a practiced drinker who could have gone a few glasses more before showing any sign of being drunk.

"If anyone is going, it's me," Tai stood now, his voice raised and his chair flying back a few feet. He, on the other hand, didn't drink as much as Qrow and his control over his actions was lacking.

"Tai," Qrow said, giving the man a hard glare as he crossed his arms, "Out of the two of us, who can cover greater distances in a short time?" He asked, but didn't expect a reply. They all knew the answer, and after a moment Tai reclaimed his seat and held his head in his hands.

"I am sending you her supposed location now, Qrow," Ozpin said calmly. The tension in the room could be felt even from where Ozpin was. He kept his voice level for this reason so as not to cause much more panic. "Tai," he added softly, but Tai did not move. "There is still hope. And if there is anyone in Remnant who can find Miss Rose, it's Qrow. Your duty is here, to your daughters."

With this, Qrow scooped up his scroll and put it to his ear as he walked toward the door. "How far is this place?" he asked, walking out the door, attaching Harbinger to his back.

The door shut, leaving Tai to stew in silence.

A pair of silver eyes looked on intently from the base of the staircase.

* * *

Qrow could see a blazing fire through the trees of a thick forest surrounding a small mining town. His eyes grew wide as a Grimm, the likes he had never seen before, came into view. A flurry of white rose petals darted around its head, causing it to roar and send out a new volley of flames to billow from its mane. As Qrow flew closer, he could see that the Grimm was in the shape of a lion, its scull mask set into a perpetual menacing glare and flames dancing across its body. A giant paw swatted at the white form that was hitting the beast with everything it could muster. The form hit the ground, but didn't get up. That was when Qrow flew as hard as he could, scooping as much air under his wings as possible.

 _Get up, Summer…_ he pleaded to himself. But the form didn't move.

The Grimm loomed over the limp body, preparing to snap up its prey, when Qrow's scythe gouged deeply into its neck. The beast roared, turning furiously to face its new opponent. It didn't have time to get a good look before another blow sliced its left front leg clean from its body as soon as Qrow hit the ground. The Grimm's cry shook every bone in Qrow's body as the monster fell forward, collecting itself.

"You will not touch her again," Qrow growled, preparing for his final blow. Summer had done a number on the beast already. Qrow could see deep wounds along its length and underbelly. Its mask was cracked in multiple places and its tail had been severed clean off at some point. Judging by the reaction time from his first hit, the Grimm was already worn out, which meant that Summer was more than spent as well.

The lion Grimm began to stand on its surviving front leg and Qrow's mouth twisted into a dark grin, the surrounding flames casting deep shadows across his face. He jumped upward, hooking Harbinger's blade under the beast's throat. Pulling the trigger on the handle of his weapon, a round from the double barrels at the base of the scythe shot into the ground. The resulting force from the gunfire was just enough to help him pull his scythe up through the lion's neck. There was one final and desperate roar before the Grimm went limp and there was a resonating thud as the head fell away from the rest of the body. Qrow landed in the midst of the now disintegrating Grimm and took a few breaths, compacting and clipping his weapon to his back before bolting to Summer's side.

He looked her over as he gathered her into his arms. Deep claw marks gouged into her side and front like jagged ribbons. Blood poured freely from every wound that riddled her body. There were even claw marks across her face. She shuddered with every breath she struggled to take. Opening her eyes, she saw Qrow with just the slightest hint of tears beginning to form under his crimson eyes. True to form, Summer smiled weakly.

"I totally had him," She breathed, her voice grating in her throat. Qrow smiled sadly and shook his head.

"You really had him on the ropes for sure," he teased back softly. This made Summer cough up what was meant to be a laugh, but the resulting pain made her involuntarily grimace. Qrow looked at her wounds again, watching the rivers of blood stain her cloak red. "I'm gonna get you out of here, get you fixed up, just hold on," He urged. One look into her pained silver eyes told him that was not going to be the case. She tried to speak again but couldn't through the blood beginning to well in her throat. She feebly grabbed at his shirt and urged him to get closer instead.

As she spoke quietly into his ear with every bit of strength left in her, Qrow squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear falling to the blood stained ground. He looked back into her eyes and nodded wordlessly, unable to find his voice. He held her close and tight then as her shallow breaths slowed. Her hand found his and gave it one final squeeze, which he returned desperately. She took another breath and he held his, waiting for her to take another.

She never did.

He held her there in his arms for a long time, burying his face in her hood and letting himself cry longer than he had in years. He couldn't hear the flames from the trees roar around them. He barely registered a blazing tree trunk crash to the ground just a foot behind him. The heat didn't reach him.

And he didn't care.

 _He had to bring her home._ The thought echoed in his blank mind, drawing him out to the world beyond him and Summer. Rousing up his strength, he stood with her in his arms and walked in between the flaming trees and brush before being enveloped into the darkness of the forest.

* * *

Tai crumpled to the ground, all feeling leaving him, his blazing blue eyes grew dark as the news hit him. Qrow had taken him to the small training circle in the backyard to tell him what happened to Summer. He spared as much detail as possible in a futile attempt to soften the blow on Tai, who was on his knees now, curling into himself, forearms blocking his face as his nails dug into his scalp. Qrow stood a few feet back, flask turned upward as the alcohol burned his throat. But no amount of nail digging or drinking could ease the pain either of the men were feeling.

Summer was gone.

And Qrow couldn't help but blame himself. He got there too late, he wasn't fast enough, or maybe she was on the edge of life and death, and his bad luck just pushed her toward the latter. Either way, according to Qrow, all were valid reasons to blame himself for her death. But this wasn't even the worst part; seeing Tai fall apart didn't hurt as much as it will when they tell the girls. Qrow shuddered at the thought as he capped his flask and tried to block mental images of Yang and Ruby the second their world shatters.

Later, when Tai had calmed down enough, they decided to tell the girls that night.

The small broken family was gathered silently on a hill near the house. Summer's grave had a fresh patch of sod over where she was buried on which Yang and Ruby sat. Yang hadn't said a word since the previous night, although she didn't cry. Certainly a trait she got from the Branwen side, Qrow thought darkly. Ruby had broken down after comprehending what "passed away" meant, after which she vehemently refused to believe Tai or Qrow. Now she was hugging her legs to her chest, her head resting on her knees. Her shoulders began to shake as small sobs trickled from her mouth. Tai knelt down to scoop her into his arms, to which she clasped her arms around him tightly and dug her nose solidly into his neck.

Qrow stood at the edge of the hill, beyond the grave, as he listened to his niece's cry. The bitter wind of late fall went right through his shirt and played with his tattered cape. He took another swig from his flask, then slammed his eyes shut, trying to block out the images of Summer from that night. There was just…so much blood. And fire. He wanted to tell Tai and the girls what she had said to him with her final breaths, but he couldn't bring himself to even think about her words. None of them were ready for any of this.

He didn't hear Tai walk up beside him until he placed a hand on Qrow's shoulder. He didn't look up, but instead just took a deep breath to prepare himself for what was about to come next.

"I…" Qrow began, but forgot how he planned on finishing what he wanted to say. He took a smaller breath before looking Tai in the face. "I need to get away for a while."

Tai gave a confused look which turned into anger. Qrow thought he was going to get the brunt of Tai's frustration, but was surprised when Tai closed his eyes and sighed, his face softening. They had been close friends for years and knew how the other dealt with their feelings. Tai was quiet, thinking his problems through but not letting anyone in to help while Qrow tended to drink his problems away, which was paired with restlessness that could only be sated by flying for hours on end to nowhere in particular. Qrow was just surprised that Tai took it as well as he did.

"Just don't drink yourself to death, got it?" Tai sighed again. "I could really use your help around here, and you ending up in a ditch somewhere isn't doing anyone any favors."

"Yeah, yeah," Qrow waved him off absently. "I just need to clear my head. I'll be back in a couple of days."

Tai tried not to think about how familiar that sounded and simply nodded. After a moment, he gave a gentle squeeze to Qrow's shoulder. "The girls really look up to you, especially Ruby. "

"I know," Qrow answered softly, a smile just starting to tug at the corner of his mouth. Even though Yang was the one related to him by blood, Ruby was always the first to greet him when he visited. She stayed glued to his side as long as she could and was happy to banter back and forth with him. Yang had her own way of showing her affection, and Qrow had plenty of bruises to prove it. Tai was too afraid to hurt his own daughter when she was in a "sparring" mood, which left it up to Qrow to engage in the playful wrestling. He loved his nieces like he never thought he could, and now that they didn't have a mother he wanted to be there for them more than he had before. But the gnawing ache of needing to fuel his alcoholic tendencies was a strong and constant force. He didn't want to be _that_ bad of an influence on them. Staying around them now would only disappoint them. He could just imagine their betrayed faces as they watched their favorite uncle make a fool of himself, blacked out on the ground somewhere, the stench of hard liquor stinging their senses. He just couldn't do that to them.

Their lives were in shambles already.

* * *

Tai and the girls had long since gone back to the house, but Qrow still stood in front of Summer's grave. The air had a biting chill now as the sun began to set but he didn't pay attention to it. He was in too deep now with his self-destructive thoughts, tacking Summer's death onto the mile-long list of things he believed that he caused. Speculation became fact for him as he kept telling himself that it was all his fault.

He believed it now with every fiber of his being.

He had begun to replay that night's tragedy for the millionth time when he heard the unmistakable raven's call behind him. He balled up his fists, nails digging into his palms, and clenched his teeth. _How dare she even think of showing up here_ , he thought. Another echoing call came from the bird before he turned his head ever so slightly, crimson eyes narrowing into a glare.

"Go away." He growled deeply. "This is your _only_ warning." His tone was dangerous now and he put a hand on Harbinger's hilt, his knuckles turning white.

"I'm not allowed to say any final words to my own teammate?"

With this, Qrow wheeled around furiously. "That's awfully thoughtful of you." Qrow forced himself to keep his voice level, his efforts failing almost immediately. "While you're in such a sentimental mood," he continued, "why don't you go down and offer your messed up condolences to your other teammate? Oh, and maybe you could even see your own daughter while you're at it, _Raven._ " He spat the last few words at her, hoping they stung.

His sister narrowed her bright red eyes. "I didn't come here for a fight."

"Don't kid yourself," Qrow scoffed in reply, "you live off of starting fights. And your being here is an act of war." Raven opened her mouth to argue back, but Qrow didn't let her. "Don't act like you care about Summer, because everyone knows you don't. If you had any sort of heart, you wouldn't have left Tai. You would have stayed to watch _your own daughter_ grow up."

"I did what I knew to be right," Raven crossed her arms defensively. "The tribe was family and they needed me more."

"You had a family here!" Qrow threw a hand out, motioning to the small house below. "You had a daughter that needed her mother! And you have no idea what you did to Tai when you left."

"He was happier with Summer!" Raven shouted back, failing to hide the brokenness in her voice.

"Careful, Raven," Qrow sneered, "your feelings are showing." He stepped closer to her now, his eyes narrowing.

With that comment, Raven turned and Qrow thought she had given up until she spun around with fury in her eyes. She took a step and with her other foot, planted a swift kick square on Qrow's chest. He flew back a few feet and landed on top of the fresh grave. He was just getting up when she slashed at his face with her blood red sword, leaving a stinging cut on his jaw.

"You forget that you were the first to abandon family, _brother_." Raven lowered her voice now as she loomed over Qrow. "You left our tribe to be one of Ozpin's pawns."

Qrow wiped the blood that was now dripping down his neck and looked at the stain it left on his palm. "You are _not_ my family." He stood and looked her in the eye, their faces inches apart. "And if you don't leave right now, I'll make you." Raven laughed coldly and looked him up and down, doubting his ability to carry out his threat. She tensed, making to strike him again, but her eye caught Summer's tomb stone. Something in her froze and after a moment, she closed her eyes and stepped back with a sigh.

"She wouldn't want us to fight," she said softly.

"Leave," Qrow insisted, but Raven simply brushed by him and looked down at the engraving on the stone.

"She was the only one out of all of us who didn't deserve this," she spoke so quietly that Qrow was certain she was just talking to herself. Before Qrow could say anything further, Raven walked to the edge of the steep hill and leapt off. Seconds later, he could see a jet black raven weave through the tree tops.

Not too long after, he did the same, heading north.


	2. Chapter 2

Qrow slumped against the wall of the pristine apartment he just broke into. One of his arms held his chest while the other supported him, keeping him sitting up. He knew if he let himself lie down, he would be out like a light, and he didn't want to miss her reaction for the world. Both of his arms were shaking, both from the cold pouring through the slightly cracked window or from the day-long flight he just put himself through. The throbbing ache that ran through his arms and back was enough to take his thoughts away from the events of the past few days, from the failure he knew he was. He reached up to rub his face in an attempt to keep himself awake when he winced at the cut now scabbing over on his jaw. He let out an annoyed groan. Raven had one particular blade (among her many other kinds) that prevented wounds from being healed instantly by aura. This had come in handy when team STRQ was in action. It also made her a dangerous enemy. Qrow closed his eyes for a second and tried to push the thought of his sister away. Instead he let his gleaming red eyes scan the room he was about to be thrown out of (at least that's what he was expecting).

Everything was far more perfect than should be possible. The bed was made with crisp clean sheets that were folded back exactly eight inches. Few personal items were placed on the dust-free night stand where a single lamp lit the room with a warm glow. There was a single chair next to the window and a dresser with a mirror sat across from the bed. The bathroom was equally sterile, with a neatly folded change of clothes resting next to the sink. The room that connected to the other end of the bathroom was small, just enough to fit a two-person couch, a coffee table and a kitchenette in the corner.

Qrow grunted a laugh. He didn't expect anything less from her.

Five more minutes passed before he heard the front door open, close and lock. The bathroom light flipped on and for the next couple minutes, he heard the rusting of clothes. He took this time to steel himself.

The light turned off and he closed his eyes, trying to hide the devious smile threatening to spread across his face. Light footsteps stopped abruptly as they entered the room. His crumpled form stuck out from the rest of the room like sore thumb.

"Qrow!" the stern female voice snapped. Qrow turned to face the woman, putting on his most charming smile.

"Fancy meeting you here, Ice Queen," He said as casually as possible despite his aching body. Winter Schnee gave him her usual death-glare and crossed her arms. "Nice to see your hair down for once," he added. "Makes you seem more human." Winter had changed out of her military clothing and was now wearing a lavender off-the-shoulder top (that fit her not as tight as Qrow would have liked) and light grey pajama pants.

"How in the world did you get in here?" her harsh voice was useless in intimidating him. He was far too used to it by now and was not ashamed to admit he liked it.

"Y'know you should really lock your windows." Qrow motioned with his head at the window. It was only opened a few inches, not nearly enough for a person to fit through.

"I had left it open to air out the room," Winter shot back defensively. "Besides, by regulation it can only open six inches. So either you tell me the truth or I'll force it from you." Her threat would have been frightful enough to any other intruder, but Qrow only gave her a sideways smirk.

"Yeah, it was a real tricky situation, but I managed," he shrugged. Winter's bewilderment spoke to her ignorance of Qrow's ability to shape shift. He made it a point to never let that fact about him slip to just anyone.

"You have thirty seconds to vacate my home," Winter demanded, giving up on getting a proper explanation from him. Qrow shrugged and attempted to stand, but fell back to the floor with an involuntary grunt of pain. Not only were his muscles extremely sore, but Raven's kick to his chest had left more damage than he thought. Judging by the pain, he guessed he had at least one bruised rib. He made a mental note to return the favor the next time he crossed her path.

Winter's frown faltered slightly when she noticed his feeble struggle. Putting that piece of information together with his unannounced appearance, she started to have the feeling something was wrong.

"Qrow," repeated, just a hint of softness woven into her voice this time, "Why are you here?"

Qrow look away, grasping at any excuse he could come up with, but he had none. There was no particular reason he was here specifically. His only goal was to distance himself from the sullen atmosphere that hung heavy over his fractured family. He needed to be there for them, but he wouldn't be much help if he had stayed. Leaving was the only way to get his head straight. But why _here?_ Of all the places he could have gone, he went on an impulse to the one person who would treat him no different than if he had gone to Raven (heaven forbid).

No. Winter fought with him constantly and both of them had given the other some minor cuts and bruises, but her dislike for him wasn't malicious like Raven's. In some twisted way, Qrow found it all endearing. Whether Winter saw it the same way was a mystery, but Qrow could at least tell she had no real intention of malevolence. Their intolerance of each other was just at a surface-level. The deep-rooted hate he felt from Raven wasn't reflected in Winter's harsh remarks and actions. At least he didn't think so.

He opened his mouth to make one of his signature witty replies, until an unwarranted image of Summer flashed in his mind. His cocky grin slowly lost its charm and he let out a breath in defeat. He looked down at his weapon that he had set next to him when he came in, but he didn't answer her. Where did he begin to explain? Fishing through his increasingly hazy thoughts, the truly unexpected happened.

Winter sat cross-legged quietly in front of him, her knee touching his. He looked up wide-eyed at her. He expected her to raise her voice at him or hit him, but she just met his gaze with level patience. She knew a broken soul when she saw one, the last thing he needed was another enemy. The General had shown her the same patience when she first came to him, having renounced her father and her title as heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. She was hurt and broken, but he was there to help her put the pieces back together and gave her purpose.

A minute of silence ticked past before Qrow heaved a heavy sigh, absently tracing the pattern on Harbinger's blade with a finger. "Summer's dead," he said in a flat voice.

Winter paused, recalling what Qrow had told her of his teammates and difficult family ties the first time they had met. She remembered the wild grin he wore every time he had spoken about Summer and the adventures he shared with her and Tai.

She placed a hand on his knee, looking down out of respect. She noticed his fists tightening, knuckles turning white as his hands shook slightly form rage.

"And it's my fault," his words filtered through gritted teeth now, a twisted scowl fixed on his face.

"That can't really be true," Winter said. Her voice wasn't as soft as before, some of her usual abrasive tones returning. His crimson eyes flicked up to her face, piercing her skeptical gaze through jet black bangs.

His defensive façade fell and he looked away, his expression a mixture of hurt and confusion. "I couldn't save her in time," his voice was uncharacteristically quiet. His fists relaxed only slightly. Winter had never seen him like this and was at a loss on how to address him. She would usually have thrown some mildly offensive jab at him, but if she did that now, she was sure it would put their odd friendship in critical condition. She wasn't prepared to face what his true rage looked like any time soon.

Instead, she pursed her lips before daring to ask the next logical question.

"What happened?"

Qrow clenched his jaw before giving her a brief explanation. His sentences were short with as little description as possible. She could tell he was trying desperately to keep his voice from wavering. When he had finished, she offered him her condolences with a silent nod.

She waited for him to even out his breathing before speaking again. "So what happened with your jaw? Was that from the Grimm?"

He shook his head. "My wonderful and loving sister dropped in for a visit before I left." Sarcasm dripped from every word and his frown returned.

Winter stood suddenly, smoothing out her pants. Sulking wasn't going to make anything better, she concluded. She took it upon herself to get him back on his feet, figuratively and literally. Qrow jumped in surprise at the abrupt motion, half expecting her to add another nick to his face, but she walked into the bathroom, his confused eyes following her.

"Wait there," her terse voice echoed slightly off the bathroom tile. "And take your shirt off."

Qrow knew she intended to help him tend to his injuries, but he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"At least buy me a drink first, Ice Queen," he called, humor finding its way back into his features. He couldn't help but smile when he heard an exasperated sigh from the other room. He proceeded to unbutton his shirt and throw it unceremoniously in a pile next to him. Looking down, he could see a few large bruises beginning to take shape over his ribcage.

Winter returned with first-aid supplies in her hands, setting them on the bed. She sat on the edge and pointed to the spot next to her, silently ordering him to join her. He huffed and rolled his eyes before slowly hoisting himself off the floor.

He sat heavily, knocking over the bottle of disinfectant. "You're lucky it wasn't open," Winter grumbled. Qrow smiled at the irony. Luck was never one for favoring him, even if it wanted to.

He was relieved that their dynamic was settling back to where it usually found itself. Though, he mused, gentle Winter wasn't so bad either. He studied her face carefully while she focused on preparing a cloth with disinfectant. Her features were set with stern concentration, her porcelain cheeks lightly dusted pink. Despite her eyes being an icy blue, he found them warm and almost mesmerizing. Her snow white bangs were swept to the side as usual, but what really fascinated him was her long hair cascading in gentle curls over her shoulder. He was used to seeing her with a tight bun centered perfectly on her head, so he made it imperative that he remembered what she looked like when the bun was let free.

When she looked up at him and noticed he was staring, she glared, to which he offered an innocent grin.

"Just sit still," she mumbled, holding his chin in place with one hand. He winced when she brought the cloth to his cut with her other hand, but he dared not move away. It probably wasn't wise to disobey her at this particular moment, he decided. Instead he clenched his jaw and took the singing pain like the huntsman he was. Once Winter was proud with her work, she carefully smoothed a bandage over the wound. She patted it once for good measure and Qrow flinched, turning to glare at her. She pretended to not pay attention as she put the cap back on the disinfectant. He put a hand over the bandage, inspecting her work critically.

"Damn it," he groaned mournfully. Winter looked up with genuine concern. "This is gonna be a bitch to take off." He caressed the hairs on his chin with an exaggerated pout. Winter's concerned face fell back into a frown, rolling her eyes for extra effect.

"That is not my problem," she said, her chin lifting indignantly.

Qrow dropped his teasing attitude with a sigh, rubbing his face with his hands tiredly. He kept his face held in his hands as he leaned to support it with his elbows, taking in the comfortable silence. He heard Winter place her supplies on the table next to the bed, then settle back next to him. He could feel her eyes scrutinizing the bruises on his ribs and wondered if she would be next in line to give his sister a piece of her mind. After she decided that there was nothing more to do, she settled further on the bed. Qrow stayed put, his head in his hand as his mind slowly drifted toward sleep.

A second later, though, his head shot up a few inches, his eyes widening. Winter was pensively tracing a finger between his shoulder blades.

"Your insignia," She noted. Among the many scars etched on his back, he had a tattoo of his personal insignia just below the base of his neck. Qrow gathered that the tattoo was all that held her attention, which, to be fair, wasn't outlandish. Even so, the gesture surprised him thoroughly. Winter had been showing a gentler side of herself tonight, but that didn't make it any less shocking.

Pretty soon, Qrow relaxed under her touch and closed his eyes. His mind's eye followed her finger as she traced the shape of a wing, then the two gears that were set within it. What he didn't expect her to run over next was the scar that split the image in two diagonally.

"What was…" her words trailed off, but he knew the question was coming. He let out a deep breath before responding.

"In my tribe, we each were given our own symbols. It tells others who you are, and that you're a part of the 'family'," Qrow explained, his voice telling her that this wasn't the first time someone had asked him about it. "It's a brand," He added darkly. "And when you abandon the tribe, they hunt you down and leave you with a mark so you can never be accepted back in. Marring your brand is their way of severing your ties with them."

Winter's hand stilled when she heard all of what he had to say.

"I'm sorry."

"It's who I am." Qrow stood, a hand subconsciously grabbing his bruised side.

"Are you leaving?" she asked softly. Qrow didn't answer, he only moved toward his shirt on the floor. Winter was about to let him go, but seeing him so tired and broken, she changed her mind. She set her jaw with determination and stood.

He froze when she grabbed his wrist. He gave an experimental tug to see if she would let go, but her grip was firm and it didn't help that her feet were planted resolutely on the floor. Annoyance flickered somewhere in his chest.

"Winter-"

"No." Her voice came out a bit louder than she intended, but it did the job of getting his attention because he turned to face her, narrowing his red eyes. "You came here for a reason, whatever it may have been, but now you are going to stay. You would be crazy to assume I would let you out there when you can hardly keep your eyes open!"

Qrow remained where he stood as she squared herself in front of him, his gaze still defiant.

"Please," she added in a small voice. His garnet eyes searched her face for weakness in her resolve. When he didn't find any, he wasn't surprised. Not only was she a highly skilled special operative for the Atlesian military, but she was a Schnee. Discipline and stubbornness was woven into her very soul.

He could feel her steady breath now and he was sure his labored and alcohol-ridden breath was reaching her as well. They were in a stand-off now, pale blue eyes meeting red, and only one of them would end up getting their way.

His brow furrowed a fraction. He could have sworn her eyes strayed for just a split second. It was then that he noticed that she was holding her breath and her ears were turning just the slightest shade of red. _So she felt it too, huh?_

There were plenty of times in the past when they ended up in a similar situation: their eyes meeting in an intense glare, their faces only inches apart. These instances normally took place in either General Ironwood's office or Ozpin's, where the aforementioned men would break up the silent altercation. They never got along well in public, and they hadn't had the chance or the desire to see how they would act if it was just the two of them.

But now there was no one to diffuse the moment. They could finally see how their staring contests would play out naturally. Qrow was only a little hesitant to find out, and he was sure Winter was, too.

The gnawing impulse he hadn't noticed was there became impossible to ignore. He quickly weighed his options and figured he could take whatever she threw at him next before submitting to it completely.

He said a quick prayer to the two gods before he grabbed her face and pulled her closer. Winter took a sharp breath in when their lips crashed together rather unceremoniously. He was ready for a punch to the gut or a slap in the face, his muscles tensed in case he needed to book it out of the room. He even thought it was worth the risk of letting her witness first hand him changing into a crow mid-jump. Every horrible thing she could do to him crossed his mind, but he wasn't prepared for what she was actually doing.

No, he certainly didn't account for this.

Her eyes had closed and her hands were resting on his still bare chest. She had tilted her head to get a better angle and lean into him closer. He broke away from her then, their mouths only an inch or so apart still, and gave her an incredulous look. Her eyes opened just enough to evenly meet his gaze. He had no idea what the universe was playing at, but luck was most certainly on his side tonight and he wanted to see how far he could push it.

Before he could do anything, Winter stood on her toes and leaned back into him, their lips meeting softer this time. She wrapped her arms around his neck while letting one of his hands rest on her lower back. He pulled her closer so that their whole bodies were flush together. His other hand remained on her face gently, a thumb running over her cheek bone.

She took a short breath when his tongue brushed over her lips, parting them. He felt her tense for a second and he started to pull away, not wanting her to get too uncomfortable. Her arms locked his neck in place in quiet insistence for him to continue. He cautiously ran his tongue across the inside of her lip, aware of any reaction she might offer him. When she didn't make any sign of protest, he dared to push past her tongue, tilting her head even more so he could kiss her deeply.

She began to push him backward, the backs of his knees eventually hitting the edge of the bed. He adjusted his hold on her and sat down, encouraging her to straddle his hips. Her face was higher than his now, which she took advantage of by holding his head with both hands and leaning down to kiss him even deeper.

He winced inwardly as his back began to ache more. He had ignored his body's protests to this point, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could sit up unsupported before he gave out. He decided to snake an arm around her waist while his other hand held her lower thigh just behind her knee. His muscles screamed as he swung her onto her back, her head resting on one of her pillows.

He kicked off his shoes before settling over her. One of her legs hooked over his hips and she put pressure on his back so he could rest his weight against her own hips. He gratefully leaned onto her, supporting himself with his forearms on either side of her head. Once he determined that she was comfortable with the new position, he ran a hand down her side, committing her curves to memory. His thumb brushed exposed skin below her navel. She was impossibly soft and warm and he wanted more.

His palm replaced where his thumb was and he slowly moved upward, his senses taking in every new inch of skin. His fingertips barely brushed past the bottom of her ribcage when she tensed, drawing a breath in. He broke away from their kiss and pulled his hand away.

"Sorry," he breathed. She shook her head.

"It's fine, I just…" she bit her lip and looked away. "You aren't the only one with scars." His eyes widened a fraction in a silent question. She let out a shaky breath, keeping her eyes from meeting his. "My father." She looked at him now; his brow had knit into a deep frown. "I would rather not talk about it," she said in the smallest voice he had ever heard from her. He closed his eyes and gently rested his forehead against hers. The offending hand quickly found its way back to her face, slight pressure reassuring her tense features.

His lips moved to brush against her jaw line. He planted a soft kiss, and then nuzzled his face against hers.

"Sorry," he repeated, barely audible. Her grateful arms wrapped around his chest and she leaned into the gesture. He continued to lay kisses down her jaw and her neck. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when he pressed his lips to her throat. She hated being vulnerable, but something about him brought her guard down, allowing her to enjoy his touch.

Confidence returned to her and she brushed her finger tips down his torso. His lips returned to hers with new found fervor. She let a small hum resonate in her throat, which he returned with a deep grunt. Her fingers slid under his waistband with new purpose. She intended to go further, but one of his had shot down, holding her wrist in place. He looked down at her with a glare that warned her to go no further. She read his expression carefully. She could see longing fighting to surface behind his eyes, but his resolve was holding for now. She knew that if she went farther, his broken and drunk state wouldn't stop him from taking things all the way. Both of them had responsibilities to uphold. Qrow didn't want to put her in a compromising position when he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself. Now was the final opportunity to hold onto reason before he lost himself to his desire. Feeling her retract her hand reassured him that she understood.

He let exhaustion finally take over as he fell on his side with a tired groan. Winter opened her mouth to apologize, but she lost her words when Qrow wrapped himself around her tightly. They stayed there, bathed in silence for a long while. Winter's thoughts finally caught up with her, racing through what had just happened.

As far as their public reputation went, they were just rivals, constantly bickering with each other. Both Ironwood and Ozpin had to brace themselves when they know Qrow and Winter would be at the same meeting. For some reason, the thought of either of their superiors knowing about what had just transpired made Winter cringe internally. This was out of character for both of them and she didn't want to face the inevitable reactions if they were found out.

Thinking more along these lines, she came to her conclusion with a resolute sigh.

Qrow could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she tried to grasp the situation. Knowing her, this would all mean nothing the second he walked out the door. This was fine, he decided. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way and didn't expect her to let it stick. They _had_ to go back to normal, that's just how things worked with them. A relationship with her would only distract them from their respective obligations. Besides, Qrow thought, there was no way it would last very long. He got under her skin far too easily and they would be fighting a majority of the time.

Winter reached to turn out the light, her brief absence causing Qrow the shiver. When she returned to his side, he curled around her instantly.

"If you ever do this again, I'll kick your ass," she grumbled into the darkness. Qrow's eyes quickly adjusted to the faint light of the moon pouring through the window. He could see her signature scowl return as she settled onto her back.

"So you're telling me that you _don't_ do this for every man who breaks into your apartment?"

She growled and jabbed his gut with her elbow. Qrow let out a pained chuckle and attempted to block her attack with his arms, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.

"Just go to sleep already," she huffed, turning her back to him and pressing against his body.

He closed his eyes in compliance, but dread soon slowly crept like ice through his veins. He feared what nightmares his troubled mind would cast him into.


End file.
